2026 has started with good news for young interferon researchers of the Cytokine Society, as a new travel award will be established this year in the name of Robert Blackburn. It will consist of $1,000, and it is aimed at students and postdocs planning to attend Cytokines2026 meeting in Glasgow. However, the Robert Blackburn travel award will not only be for this year, but also for additional years to come. As I said, what an exciting news!
Who is Mr. Robert Blackburn? We wanted to get to know better the person behind the name of this new award, so Signals+ Editor Maialen Sebastian de la Cruz interviewed Mr. Blackburn for a special Member Highlight.
Mr. Blackburn has been a member of the Cytokines Society since 2015, however, unlike most of the members, he is not a scientist, even if his job has been closely aligned to scientists’ research. He is retired from the United States Air Force. He began his business career as Director of Human Resources at the Schering-Plough Research Institute (SPRI) during the 80’ and 90’ decades, just before SPRI was acquired by Merck. Concurrently with his 20 year-career at SPRI, he authored and taught an interviewing skills program for undergrad and graduate students at several international and domestic universities. Indeed, his academic background is in management and statistics, differing quite a bit from what we are used to among Cytokines Society members, which makes it intriguing and interesting at same level.
When asked about his role as Director of Human Resources at SPRI, he answered that he “was responsible for the human resource (HR) needs of many drug discovery and development scientists”, by “serving in many different HR capacities including human resources management, succession planning & management development and global benefits operations”. In other words, a part of his responsibilities was to identify top scientific talent and help groom them for more senior level positions, such as senior management rolls or higher-level positions within drug discovery and/or drug development. In this regard, the most valuable qualities or characteristics for becoming successful research scientists, in his opinion, are “integrity, honesty and a passion for the advancement of the discovery and development of pharmaceuticals”. As a non-scientist, we also wanted to know what he thinks about scientists he worked with, to what he remarked that what impressed him most was “their passion, determination and relentless scientific pursuit of new and efficacious pharmaceuticals. In addition, their willingness to collaborate and share information for the advancement of drug discovery. Scientists are born teachers and if you express a willingness to learn, you are forever taught!” In this sense, he also says that in his position as Director of Human Resources at SPRI, he automatically became a student of science, and that “my internal clients served as private tutors which allowed me to deepen his knowledge and fascination of drug discovery from a layman’s perspective”, and he added that “without serious and targeted drug discovery, many of our current pharmaceuticals would not exist”. Lastly, when asked about cytokine research, he was aware of its impact and answered that “it serves a critical role in drug discovery overall”.
Regarding the Cytokine Society, he became familiar with it because of the many scientists’ careers that he managed at the Schering-Plough Research Institute. One of his senior clients was Dr. T. L. Nagabhushan, who made remarkable contributions to interferon research, and who became also a dear friend and “was one of the most important scientific teachers I have had the pleasure of working with”. Moreover, he also said that Cytokine Society (former ICIS) “validates and secures my confidence in the ethical pursuit of drug discovery and science overall. I am proud to be a member of ICIS”.
We also were interested in his opinion of the role professional societies and conferences play in a researchers’ development, based on his expertise evaluating talent and career trajectories. He declares that “it is very important to get and stay involved with professional societies, both industrial and academic” as they may help “identify a mentor or two who you trust and can go to for help in determining your best path forward as you continue your studies”.
In connection with that and the new Robert Blackburn travel award, we also asked his views about the importance of supporting early career researchers’ ability to attend international conferences like Cytokines meetings. He stated that “networking can be an incredibly powerful research tool in helping you gain a better understanding of the research you want to pursue and the scientists with whom you want to partner” and he encourage young researchers to “get your exposure early and do not be timid about expressing your opinion”. Indeed, when asked about what prompted him to establish the travel award for students and postdocs, he reflected that “I strongly believe in the value of networking and exposure to senior research scientists and professional meetings”. Additionally, he also mentioned that “I have been a member of the American Arachnological Society for over 25 years. I sponsor a lab that specializes in the research of Mygalomorphs, specifically tarantulas. I provide funding to enable them to present their work at the annual meeting as well as interact with top scientists and researchers in their field”. Of course, it goes without saying that we are very grateful for his generosity and commitment with the Cytokines Society in general, and young researchers in particular.
When asked about what the best career advice he has received is, he says, “Do not give up! If you don’t know, ask. No contribution is too small. If you have an idea, own it and express it with passion!” and when asked about his advice for students and postdocs about developing their careers (whether they pursue research, management, or other paths in the scientific ecosystem) he answered “Evaluate the industry in general as well as the specific company with which you would like to be associated. Pharmaceutical research includes both human and animal aspects of drug discovery. Early in your academic career, summer internships can be very beneficial for learning and experiencing which area of science excites you the most. As you gain experience, determine what stage of pharmaceutical research, i.e., in vitro or in vivo, is most attractive to you. Consider which area of research is the best fit for you, e.g., drug discovery, drug development, or clinical trials”.
Finally, we also wondered about his free time outside of work and what he enjoyed doing. He commented that following his retirement from the United States Air Force and SPRI, he managed his family’s horse farm: “I went from pharmaceuticals to animal husbandry, operating and maintaining heavy equipment, and learning how to effectively and compassionately care for our horses”. He also enjoys reading novels and staying abreast of the latest pharmaceutical research. In this sense, he recommended to read “Deal Breaker, a novel by Harlan Coben”.
Mr. Robert Blackburn, the person after the name of the new travel award: Thank you for your time and for your generous support of early career researchers in our Society!